Border Wildflower Garden: Do’s and Don’ts

My border wildflower garden was a bit of a happy accident (you can read all about how I did it here), and it really is quite honestly one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I am thoroughly obsessed with it and plan to spread the wildflower love to several other spots next season now that I know how gorgeous and easy it is to do. Already this year, I’ve dug out another small spot and spread some seed along the back of my house (and the flowers are about to bloom!!) and there’s another spot where I spread some leftover seed (never actually expecting them to to germinate and sprout) that have bloomed in the back of my property by a giant old tree. This stuff is indestructible and will bloom anywhere, I am convinced!

I’ve learned a few things through my brief experimentation with the wildflower seeds though, and thought I’d share some tips with you, especially if you are considering a bordering wildflower garden.

FYI: I used Pennington’s Cottage Garden Wildflower Garden Seeds for this, purchased from Lowe’s

1. Garden Depth

The depth of my border is about 1 1/2 feet and it is hugely overgrown. If I had it to do over again, I would make it at least 2-3ft deep to help control some of the overgrowth.

2. Edging

I chose a pretty wooden plank style edging and now that the wildflowers are in full bloom and overgrown it isn’t visible at all. I would still use an edging but would probably chose large stone or something taller; something that withstand a string-trimmer.

3. Be patient, it will fill in

When the garden began growing, it didn’t grow evenly at first and there were big gaps and bare spots, so I got impatient and planted other things to fill in the gaps, all of which quickly were outgrown by the wildflowers and died. The “space-fillers” were a waste of time and time and money! Be patient, it will fill in 🙂 I also didn’t think the wildflower garden would grow…. at all, so I planted a ton of runnuculus and peony bulbs at the very beginning and now I have to dig them all up in the fall and replant them in a different spot.

4. Bugs

Prepare for bugs. I didn’t! All the flowers will attract them. Especially the japanese beetles. My neighbor is keeping some bees for honey, which is helping the wildflower garden, so the more the merrier in my opinion but do spray for other pests and put out bug traps for all the other pests otherwise they will eat down your plants 😦

5. Water

Yes, you will have to water. I know. They are supposed to be wildflowers and all and for the most part they do seem to do ok, but when temps get up into the high 80s and 90s, they need some assistance and will need to be watered. This season has been especially wet so I haven’t had to water much, but they have needed some help along the way.

Thanks for stopping by!